Golf-tee holder



April 15, 1952 A. LYNsKEY GOLF-TEE: HOLDER Filed oct. 24. 1949 Ar w' yms/ej/ IN VEN TOR. f?

.edge of the plate.

tee.

Patented Apr. 15, 1952 UNITED `s'irirEs arENr OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to golf-tee holders and more particularly to receptacles of this type in which the golf-tees retained therein are readily accessible to the golfer.

Numerous forms of golf-tee supports have been suggested heretofore. The known forms of such supports have not been completely satisfactory since the tees are retained in the support in a manner such that the greater portion of each golf-tee is enclosed in the support therefor. It is necessary for the golfer, in removing a tee from a holder of this type, to grasp the very small portion of the golf-tee protruding from the holder and withdraw the tee therefrom. This is obviously not a very convenient operation especially when it is considered that a golftee is a relatively small article; and, as well, that a plurality of tees are ordinarily very closely arranged in the holder.

The objections to golf-tee holders now ,in use are overcome by this invention which, briefly described, comprises a holder including a base portion composed of a horizontally elongated plate having means at the upper edge thereof i for attaching the holder to an article of apparel.

The lower portion of one face of the plate has a plurality of vertically disposed spaced tapered Vrecesses formed therein, each of which terminates in a rounded end adjacent the lowermost A retaining member extending across the face of the base portion above the recesses and supported by the base portion is adapted to engage the outer side face of each golf Thus a plurality of golf-tees may be supported in the holder withV the point of each tee disposed in a tapered recess at the lower rounded end thereof and the inner face of the head of each tee clamped in contact with the face of the base portion by the, retaining member. In this novel form of holder the golf-tees are supported in amanner such that an entire side of each tee is exposed and readily accessible for engagement to be withdrawn from the holder.

It is an object of this invention to provide a golf-tee holder of a novel form wherein the golftees are retained therein by a clamp member adapted to engage only a small portion of an exposedfside of the tee.

Another object of this invention is to provide a golf-tee holder wherein the major portion of the sides of the tees supported in the holder are exposed and readily accessible for removal therefrom.

Still another object of this invention is to l provide a golf-tee holder in which there is formed a recess for guiding the tees as they are inserted into or withdrawn from the holder;

A further object of this invention is to provide a golf-tee holder including a base portion having a plurality of spaced, vertically arranged tapering recesses each adapted to receive and guide a golf-tee as it is moved therein Vand a clamp member supported by the base portion for engaging a small area of the exposed side of the ee to retain it in the holder.

Other obj ects of this invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of golf-tee holder embodying this invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the holder shown in Figure 1; Y

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the golf-tee holder illustrated in Figure 1, taken along line 3-3 thereof;

Figure 4 is another sectional view of the golftee holder illustrated in Figure l, taken along line 4--4 thereof;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a golf-tee holder embodying a modified form of this invention; i

Figure 6 is a sectional View of the golf-tee holder illustrated in Figure 5, taken along line 5-6 thereof; A

Figure 7 is a sectional view of a golf-tee holder embodying another modified form of this invention; and

Figure 8 is a sectional view of a golf-tee holder embodying still another modied form, of this invention. 1

Referring to Figures 1 to 4, inclusive the preferred form of golf-tee holder of this invention comprises a base portion I composed of a horizontally elongated plate having a horizontal major axis and a vertical minor axis. The plate may be formed from lightweight metals or any synthetic resinous material and other materials capable of being shaped by stamping, casting, injection molding or equivalent forming methods. The base portion I is provided with an integrally formed tongue 2 along the top edge thereof .which is bent rearwardly of the base portion and downwardly over 'one' face thereof to form a hook member. The hook 2 is adapted to engage an article of apparel; such as, for example, the side of a shoe or coat pocket, a belt or a hat band' and thus suspend the golf-tee holder from the apparel.

The base portion l has a plurality of vertically arranged spaced tapered recesses 3 formed in vthe face of the plate opposed to the face thereof over which the hook 2 extends. The recesses 3 extend over only the lower portion of face of the plate, preferably between one-half to two-thirds ofthe vertical dimension of the plate. The vertical axes of the recesses 3 are generally parallel to the vertical or minor axis of the base portion I. The tapered recesses 3 are arranged with the widest portion thereof near the top edge of the base portion I and the width of each recess decreases gradually terminating in a rounded end adjacent the lowermost edge of the base portion I. The depth of the tapered recesses varies with the deepest portion thereof being adjacent the rounded lower end of each recess. The depth of each recess decreases gradually toward the uppermost end thereof at which point the bottom of each recess merges with the outer face of the base portion.

A golf-tee retaining member 4 extends over the face of the base portion I above the uppermost ends of the recesses 3. The retaining member 4 consists of a narrow plate or strip which is preferably integrally formed with the base portion I. This narrow plate or strip projects outwardly from the base portion I and downwardly at a slight angle with respect to the face thereof; The retaining member 4 is provided with a plurality of openings 5, preferably circular in shape, each of which openings is aligned with a corresponding tapered recess 3 arranged therebelow.

In using the golf-tee holder described above the golfer inserts the pointed end of a golf-tee in the opening 5 of the retaining member 4 until the pointed end enters the uppermost end of the tapered recess 3. The golfer then forces the golf-tee downwardly through the opening 5 to insert the tee into the holder. As the golf-tee is thus being inserted into the holder the pointed end of the tee is guided by the tapered recess. When the golf-tee has been completely inserted into the holder, the pointed end of the tee is positioned in the deepest portion of the tapered recess 3 at the lowermost rounded end thereof as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3. The outer side of the golf-tee is engaged at only one point by the edge ofthe opening 5 most remote from the outer face of the base portion I as is also shown in Figure 3. The edge of the head of the golf-tee diametrically opposed to the point on the tee engaged by the retaining member 4 is in contact with the outer face of the base portion I above the retaining member. It will be apparent that the golf-tee is securely retained in the holder by the member 4 which, due to the resilience inherent therein, forces the pointed end of the golf-tee into contact with the bottom wall of the recess 3, and, simultaneously, forces the diametrically opposed edge of the head of the tee into contact with the outermost face of the base portion I above the retaining member 4. The golf-tees are thus retained in the holder in a manner such that substantially the entire outer side face of each tee is exposed. In order to remove a golf-tee from the holder it is necessary forV the golfer to place his finger on the exposed side of a tee and exert pressure upwardly toward the top edge of the base portion I. This causes the golf-tee to slide upwardly over the face of the base portion I until the head of the tee projects above the heads of adjacent golf-tees supported in the holder. In thus withdrawing a tee from the holder the pointed end of the tee 4 is guided by the tapered recess 3 with the advantage that adjacent golf-tees are not dislodged from the holder.

The preferred form of the golf-tee holder described above employs a base portion I which is in the form of an elongated horizontal plate. It will be readily apparent that the principles of this invention may be embodied in similar holders wherein the shape of the base portion I is other than rectangular. Thus, base portions of circular or elliptical shape may be used in which event the tapered recesses would be arranged to extend radially from the center of the base portion. In such a form of golf-tee holder the retaining member projecting outwardly from the base portion and inclined toward the center thereof would terminate in an edge forming a curve conforming with the curved shape of the peripheral edge of the base portion but spaced inwardly therefrom.

In Figures 5 and 6 there is illustrated a golftee holder which is a modification of the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive. In this modification the holder includes a rectangular base portion I having a hook 2 located at the top edge thereof and a plurality of recesses 3 formed in the lower portion of the outer face of the base portion in the same manner as shown in the preferred form of the golf-tee holder. A retaining member 4 comprising a narrow plate provided with a plurality of openings 5 extends across the outer face of the base portion I above the uppermost ends of the tapered recesses 3. The retaining member 4 also extends outwardly from the face of the base portion I and extends downwardly at an angle thereto. The retaining member 4 is supported by a pair of legs 6 6 which are integrally formed with the base portion I and extend from the opposite ends of the lowermost edge thereof. The edge of the retaining member 4 adjacent the outer face of the base portion I is not secured thereto as will be seen from Figure 6. The legs 6 6 are bent upwardly over the face of the base portion I and are spaced therefrom. The uppermost ends of the legs 6 6 are secured to the outermost edge of the retaining member 4. It is preferred, however, to form the retaining member 4 and the legs 6 6 integrally. The operation and the advantages of this modified form of golf-tee holder are the same as those of the preferred form shown in Figures l to 4, inclusive. This modified form of holder has the added advantage of being capable of being formed from a single fiat blank of stock metal or synthetic resinous sheet. Such a sheet of material may be subjected to a minimum of stamping and bending operations in order to form the golf-tee holder.

In the modified form of golf-tee holder shown in Figure 7 a base portion I provided with a hook 2 and a plurality of tapered recesses 3 is employed as in the previously described forms of holder. In this form of holder a pair of integrally formed legs 6 6 extend from the opposite ends of the lowermost edge of the base portion and are bent upwardly to extend over the face thereof. A retaining member "I consisting of a very narrow strip of material is provided which strip is secured to the uppermost ends of the legs 6 6. The retaining member I extends upwardly at a slight angle toward the face of the base portion I but projects only a short distance from the uppermost ends of the legs 6 6. The edge of the retaining member 'I adjacent the face of the base portion I is capable of engaging a small portion of the outer side of a golf-tee supported in the holder and retains the tee therein in the same manner as previously described.

A still further modification of golf-tee holder is illustrated in Figure 8.V In this form of holder a base portion I having a hook 2 and a plurality of tapered recesses-is provided. The legst-8 which are integrally formed with the base portion I and extend from the opposite ends of the lowermost edge thereof are bent in a gradual curve overthe face of the -base portion. A retaining member 9 consisting of a very narrow strip connected to the uppermost ends of the curved legs 8-8 is sharply curved toward the face of the base portion I. The retaining member 9 is capable of engaging a golf-tee in the same manner as described in connection with the retaining member l. in the modification shown in Figure 7. f.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a golf-tee holder is provided wherein the tees are-securely clamped to the face of a base portion with the pointed ends of the tees supported in the lower-most ends of the tapered recesses. The outer sides of the tees are completely exposed and are readily accessible to facilitate withdrawal of a tee from the holder. AvThetapered recesses, fur- Y thermore, serve to guidethe golf-tee as it is inserted into and Withdrawn from the holder with the advantage that adjacent golf-tees supported in the holder are not dislodged during' either operation. The various features of the golf-tee holders described may, obviously, be embodied in principle in a variety of forms of holders.

I claim:

1. A golf-tee holder `including a base portion having a plurality of vertically disposed spaced tapered recesses formed therein, the narrow terminal ends of said recesses being positioned adjacent the lowermost edge of said base portion, said recesses including a back wall and opposed side walls; and a retaining means extending Aacross the face of saidr base portion above the uppermost wide ends of said recesses, said retaining means comprising an apertured narrow plate-like member extending outwardly from the face of said base portion and downwardly at an angle thereto, said retaining means being supported by said base portion, whereby a golf-tee is retained in said holder by frictional engagement of an upper edge of said tee with an adjacent portion of said base, the frictional engagement of a lower portion of said tee with said back wall of the recess and an outer portion of said tee intermediate its ends in frictional engagement with an edge of a corresponding aperture in said plate-like retaining member remote from said base portion of the holder.

2. A golf-tee holder including a base portion having a plurality of vertically disposed spaced tapered recesses formed "therein, the narrow terminal ends of said recesses being positioned adjacent the lowermost edge of said base portion; a pair of legs extending from the opposite ends of the lowermost edge of said base portion and upwardly over a portion of the face thereof; and retaining means attached to said legs and extending across the face of said base portion above the uppermost wide ends of said recesses, said retaining means 4comprising an apertured narrow plate-like mem-ber fixed to said legs so as to extend outwardly from the face of said base portion and downwardly at an angle thereto.

3. A golf-tee holder including a base portion having a plurality of vertically disposed spaced tapered recesses formed therein, the narrow terminal ends of said recesses being positionedA adjacent the lowermost edge of said base portion; leg means extending from the lowermost edge of said base portion and upwardly overa portion of the face thereof; and retaining means attached to said leg means and extending across the face of said base portion above the uppermost wide ends of said recesses. said retaining means comprising an apertured narrow platelike member fixed to said leg means so as to extend outwardly from the face of said base portion and downwardly at an angle thereto.

ARTHUR LYNSKEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain June 2, 1927 

